Rahul, Priyanka attack AAP, BJP in Old Delhi

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “deliberately” keeping the youth of India unemployed, so that their frustration

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “deliberately” keeping the youth of India unemployed, so that their frustration could be converted into communal hatred.

HT Image

Addressing a rally at Old Delhi’s Matia Mahal, Rahul said, “Before 2014, youngsters knew that after they will find jobs after they complete their education. But now there is no certainty. This is causing frustration and the BJP wants to convert that feeling of frustration into hatred against each other. Anger is different from hatred. We get angry at our friends too, but the BJP is spreading hatred to divide us.”

He added, “This (religious) hatred is like oxygen for Modi’s politics and he will keep the youth unemployed to stay in power…The youth of this country want jobs and Modi gets these young people beaten up and put them behind bars instead.”

Rahul also lashed out at Union home minister Amit Shah for his provocative speeches targeting the protesters at Shaheen Bagh for their religion. “I don’t even want to talk about Amit Shah’s speeches. It is full of filth. I would request you all to not listen to it,” he urged.

Responding, former Delhi BJP chief and co-convener of the party’s election management committee, Satish Upadhyay said, “Who is listening to him? He has lost moral authority to tell people who to do. People of Delhi know what is good for them and can make a decision on their own. He used to attack the PM during the Lok Sabha elections and the country has shown what they think about the Congress.”

AAP did not respond to request for comment.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined her brother Rahul to take on the AAP government in Delhi and the BJP in the Centre.

Apologising for her delay to reach the public meeting, Priyanka said, “I got caught in a jam. Since the AAP government did not construct any new roads, it took a while. If I had taken the Metro, constructed by Sheila (Dikshit) ji I would have reached in 10 minutes.”

“In the Congress regime, we constructed 36 new schools every year, AAP has made six, we made 21 new hospitals, AAP made zero, Delhi Metro was passed during our time and the AAP delayed the phase-IV and we constructed flyovers and they have not constructed a single flyover. The AAP has done nothing,” she said, releasing an AAP report card.

She asked voters to cast their vote with care.

“Our country is like a garden, which has different flowers, all beautiful. You are its caretakers. The BJP wants to destroy this garden, but will we let them?” Priyanka said.